The Kennedy Center: ARTSEDGE — the National Arts and Education Network

Grades 3-4 Lesson: Harriet Tubman: Secret Messages Shared through Song
In this lesson, students are introduced to the African-American spiritual and its use of a secret language to share information within the slave community.

Grade 5 Lesson: Haunting Music
Learn about orchestral “program music” inspired by the spooky and bizarre

Grades 9-12 Lesson: Historic Heroes
The class will break into groups and write a working definition of a hero which they will present to the class.

Grades 6-8 Lesson: How Do Cells Reproduce?
This activity illustrates the process of mitosis, or cell division, in yeast. Cells carry on the many functions needed to sustain life. The most important is the ability to reproduce.

Grades 6-8 Lesson: How Many Cells Are Born in a Day?
In this lesson, students use calculation to predict the number of cells that result from a series of cell divisions. They then graph the results to represent their findings.

Grades 3-4 Lesson: Immigrating to America
Students will learn what it was like for new immigrants to come through Ellis Island—a symbolic heart of American immigration—at the turn of the 20th century

Grades 6-8 Lesson: Inspired by Muses, Graces and Fates
Muses of ancient Greece inspired poets, playwrights, dancers, actors, musicians, and scientists. Graces added life to a party and the Fates determined a life’s destiny.

Grades 6-8 Lesson: Interpreting Mythology Through Dance
In this lesson, students learn about Ancient Egyptian rituals and attitudes about death and the afterlife.

Grades 3-4 Lesson: Island Breezes: Exploring Hula Dance
A hula dance is a choreographed interpretation of a poetic text, or mele, that tells a story through hand and arm gestures and rhythmic patterns.

Grades 9-12 Lesson: It's All in the Translation
In this lesson students will examine the important role translation plays in interpreting the dramatic literature and theater of the ancient Greeks.

Grades 9-12 Lesson: Japanese Woodblock Prints
This lesson explores the history and evolution of the Japanese woodblock print

Grades 6-8 Lesson: King Arthur: Man or Legend
In this lesson, students will learn about the legend of King Arthur as depicted in stories, poems, and artwork

Grades 9-12 Lesson: Landscape Painting
Using James Palmersheim's Silver Creek's November II as a starting point, students will create their own landscape paintings

Grades 9-12 Lesson: Learning From Lyrics
Students research contemporary songs (alternative, country, metal, pop, rap, and rock music) to study current social issues.

Grades 3-4 Lesson: A Lens Into the Past
Students will gain a deeper understanding of the early 20th century American immigrant experience through photography and create their own photo collection for students of the future

Grade 5 Lesson: Lewis and Clark: Artful Recordings
In this lesson, students take on the roles of Lewis and Clark, as they explore the original journals and create journals of their own

Grade 5 Lesson: Lewis And Clark Prized Possessions
In this lesson, students explore Native American crafts and design and create their own wampum belts

Grades 3-4 Lesson: Life of a Navajo Weaver
Students experiment with interpretative dance as they recreate the weaving process to Native American music

Grade 5 Lesson: Lift Every Voice and Sing
Explore and analyze Lift Every Voice and Sing, a poem by James Weldon Johnson.

Grade 5 Lesson: A Light in the Storm: A Personal Look at the Civil War
Create a historical timeline and personal event timeline based on the historical fiction book and play A Light in the Storm and its main character, Amelia Martin.

Grades 3-4 Lesson: A Listening Doll
Create a listening doll in the tradition of the Native American storyteller dolls

Grades 6-8 Lesson: Making the Ordinary Pop
Pop art examines the distinction between "high art" and popular culture, and questions the role of the artist

Grades 6-8 Lesson: Medieval and Renaissance Art: Botanical Symbolism
For the medieval and the renaissance artists, flowers were part of a rich visual symbolism

Grades 3-4 Lesson: Melodies and Math
After reviewing basic music theory, students compose their own music for the touch-tone phone

Grades 6-8 Lesson: Migrant Workers Through the Lens of Dorothea Lange
In this lesson, students will learn about migrant workers to better understand the environmental and social impact of the Great Depression.